Wisdom & wonder
She might be renowned in the Bay for her property prowess, but Bayleys agent
Kay Ganley knows you’re only as good as your team.
words Monique Balvert-O’Connor | photos Salina Galvan
Kay’s team clockwise from top left: Rebecca, Kimberly, Jenni, Conrad, Kay and Vanessa.
After 23 years in the real estate world, there’s not a lot that multiple award-winning salesperson Kay Ganley doesn’t know about her industry.
And one of those wisdoms, accrued over recent years, is the value of having a team to help her continue to impeccably serve the Mount Maunganui and Papamoa residential property market.
It’s four years now since Kay – who works under the Bayleys Mount Maunganui umbrella – created her own team. That team comprises Kay, three other salespeople, and two personal assistants.
A huge number of listings provided Kay with the incentive to form her own team and she’s never looked back.
“If I am going to stay at the top of my game and not burn out, then I need other good people at my side so we can collectively provide the best possible service. We have each other’s back and provide back-up for each other.
“I can’t imagine not having a team now. Not only does it create a supportive working network, but I like being surrounded by people and sharing my knowledge, and helping them get established too. It has been great to see them flourish. Our team does very well,” Kay says.
Indeed, this people-and-service-focused team does do well, as the plaudits show.
Last year Kay took out top prize for Success Realty Ltd (covering the Waikato, Taranaki, and Bay of Plenty) in the residential category and over all offices (residential, country and commercial) in the same geographic area. The latter is the top prize, and Kay has achieved this over the last two consecutive years. The Kay Ganley brand also scored the top salesperson accolade in the Bayleys Mount Maunganui office for the last eight years; and has sat in the top three nationwide for residential sales.
Kay’s handpicked hard-working and fun-loving team members are Conrad Doyle, Vanessa Wansbrough and Kimberly Bain. Rebecca Yeaxlee and Jenni Stevens fill the personal assistant roles.
Conrad Doyle
Kay saw plenty of promise in Conrad, and her daughter, Chloe Ganley, concurred. Conrad is Kay’s son-in-law – she suggested he make the break from his previous job and move into real estate. His sales background has stood him in good stead, she says. Conrad, who has been part of Kay’s team since day one, has a reputation for being great with people and is regularly on the receiving end of fabulous feedback.
When not working, family pursuits keep him busy (he and Chloe have two young children) and surfing is a passion.
Vanessa Wansbrough
Vanessa has enjoyed a recent, personal real estate thrill – buying her own home in Mount Maunganui. She joined Kay’s team after moving over from Hamilton, armed with seven years’ experience in real estate.
Canadian-born, Vanessa can often be found scaling Mauao, or pursuing other health, fitness and mindfulness activities. Learning to surf is a summer goal, and there’s talk about joining Toastmasters too.
Kimberly Bain
Kimberly is a tried-and-true inclusion to the team. She was Kay’s personal assistant for a year and enjoyed real estate so much that she decided to get her license. She’s now joined the team as a salesperson, armed with a great handle on the nuts and bolts of the business. She’s gaining great traction as a salesperson, Kay says.
Her colleagues love her caring personality – she’s the office gift buyer! Outside of work, she enjoys fishing and is a keen foodie.
Jenni Stevens (PA)
Kay couldn’t believe her luck when former real estate agent, Jenni, opted out of selling and thought a personal assistant role would suit her just fine. Armed with all that relevant experience, it’s little wonder she’s considered a real asset to the team. This part-time role leaves Jenni with plenty of time to head away with her husband on caravan adventures.
Rebecca Yeaxlee (PA)
The newest member of Kay’s team, Rebecca had a fair idea of what she was getting into when she took on the personal assistant job – she’d been the part-time front desk administrator for the whole of the Bayleys Mount Maunganui office. Rebecca was keen to move into a bigger role and a full-time one. The opportunity to be on Kay’s team held plenty of appeal. Swimming and running keep Rebecca fit.
Kay’s property purchase
Earlier this year, Kay and her husband Mike Gallagher did some property buying of their own. They shifted from their Mount Maunganui apartment (now run as their Airbnb) to a 2,800m2 site, tucked down a long driveway in a quiet Papamoa cul de sac. There they have renovated and planted to create a tropical oasis.